Improvement in knittotg-machine



J. PEPPER. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

KNITTING MA CHINEx No. 102,313. Patented 111111.26, 1870.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. PEPPER. KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 102,313. A Patented Apr. 26, 1870.

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, subject matter of these Letters Patent., is based upon foi-cinc into action 'anv viven number of needles in b s n A fabrics of variegate-d designs cir-figures.

th form or tigurc of fabric to be produced, in combidlnitc ,gisten are' eine,

JoHN BEPPE i, or LAKE VILLAGE, NEW HAMPSHIRE, Assrcsos 'ro trs WicH Mitts, or Ipswich,MASSACHUSETTS.

LettersA Patent' No. 102,313, dated April 2.6, 1870.

IMPROVEMErvr IN Kinrr'rrncs-tlltmzrarrm.4 f

To all to w'hom. these presen-ts shall come:

Beit known that I, JOHN PEPPER, of Lake Village, in the' 'county of Belknap v.and State of New Hampshire, have made an invention of certain novel and useful lmprovcments in Machinery t'or Knitting Looped Fabrics; and do hereby declare the following reference being had tothe accompanying drawings making part of this specitication, and-in which- Figure 1 is a plan, Figure 2, a. side elevation.

Figure 3, an end eleva-tion. Figure 4, a transverse section. Figure, an underfside view of the cam-bar ol' a knitting-machine containing my invention.

The invention herein described, and constituting the a. class of machinery for 'knitting looped fabrics, in which a single series of direct-acting needles is aranged in parallel grooves ent in a stationary hed.,

' The primary object of my present invention is to adapt, in a simple and effective manner, a machine ot' the above nature, to the knitting ol' Fashioned and ligured fabrics. f

My invention, then, as embodied in this context, consists,substantially, by suitable'instrnmentalites, in

machinery of the class herein tirst premised, by which I am enabled not only to eli'ect variations in the olitliue of the fabric produced by thc machine, but to vary the disposition and groupingof the stitches throughont such fabric, in order, when desirable, to produce It also" consists in a dividedor changeable bearingsm'face or edge of the-said forwarding device or bar or beam,.the same being governed by a platform or shaping-barrel orits equivalent, in such manner that the said bar drives forward agreater or lesser number of needles.

It also consists in certain devices by which means the extent'of` the vworkiiig-edge or surface of the said lbrwardingdiar is varied automatically, according to nation with certain other devices for operating 'th needles, these devices and their relationship to the needles being duly referia-.1dv to under this head of the Specification.

,Description of Mechanism..

The drawings hereinbcfore mentioned as accompanying this specification, and which illustrate my invention, exhibit a portion only ot' a knitting-machine of tile class upon whiclr these improvements are basid ln these drawingsa denotes the needle-bed or rail, as supported upon or within the end standard b b of the machine frame,

' the base'of the frame, or the tioor ol' the structure iu which the machine is placed, as the casemay be, beingrshown at c.

The needle-bedels horizontal, and is scored at right angles to its length at equal distances, as shown at d, to receive the needles, aportion ot a series ot' snch needles being shown at el c, Sac., and as confined :im

piace within the scores by an' overlying plate, f, such disposition otneedle-bed and needles, as well :is the form ot the latter, being the same as now in use in machinery ofthe class to which they relate, and. thus tincontaining nothing characteristic of my present invention.

The device for operating the needles or the calnbar or plate, afs the object is termed, which occupies an analogous position in other machines, is shown in the dra-wings at g, as slidingr horizontally over and lu aiignnifnt with the nibs h h, &c., of the needles,

and gu ded and suppl'irted'in ears 'mi making part ofthe ond standards of the machine flame, the cndwise reciprocal traversions ot' thesaid cam-bar heilig effected bythe agency of a pitman, la. one end of which is pivoted `to, a post, l, erected upon the` remote end of the needle-cam har, while to the opposite end is pivoted the ivrist an, of a horizontal clank, o, aliixed to the upper extremity of an upright'shatt, p, sugli shaft revolving in bearings or supports q q, rising from, the door b, and immediately adjacent to that endfeof the cam-bar mostremote from said crankf The shaft p is the driving-shaft ofthe machine, and

is to be driven by suitable means. Revolutions of this shaft in either direction will cause corresponding longitudinal traverses of the cambar over the needles. l A y In carrying out portions of my invention, as expressed in this context, and in one form of adaptation of its principles, I dispose in rear of, or opposite the uibs ot' the needles, a vibrating or rocker-flame, fr, the. base of this frame being pivoted in a suitable manner to the end standards, while its upper andhorizontal l'ail s, or forwarding-bar, as I term'it for" -want jot' a more convenieuttitle, rises into aposition parallel to, and with itsupper sul-lisce slightly below,

or on a level with said needle nibs. l Vibrations of the frame lr, and consequently the in cidence and departure of the foi-warding-bar'with re. A

spect to the needles, are effected in the present instance (althougb various means may be adopted to produce the result,) by means of a wiper or cam or double eccentric t, mounted upon the shaft p before mentioned, and about midway of the height ot' the frame r, the pei riphery of such cam impinging against a stud or avan;

u, prciecting laterally from the adjacent end ot the tremities shall abut alternately against the earsi t before mentioned, as they approach n their journey one o r ihc other of such ears.

The arrangement of the crank approaches its extreme point in one direction, the adjacent end of the wedgebar shall abut` against the contiguous ear z', in sufficient seasouto so actuate the wiper j" as to advance or drive out the forward carrier or slider and wing I-orm which is most remote from the ear, and, as n.wusequence, uncover the remote. end of the center cam, to allow the nibs of the ncedlesito pass into the remote passage o'.

Following a semi-revolution of the clank from this poiut,thc opposite end of the wedge-barabuts against its ear 1'-, and reverses the last-mentioned position of parts, that is, advancesthe slider p' and wing l', and withdraws the slider q' and wing 'm'.v 'In this manner, when a wing is advanced beyond its fellow, the'centcr plate or cam is allowed to strike and actuate the needles in succession, provided they have been advanced after havingr been withdrawn by illu iiuwardiug-bar, so as to bring their nibs iu range oi' the base of the center cam. `r

As' that wing l' or m which is foremost or in :1drance, oi' the center or V-shaped cam k' during the traverse of the cam-bar recedes or falls away from the bano of such center le', which is a fixture ot' the bar, and allows such bar to seize and advance the nibs of eachneedle presented to it, the opposite or rearward -wing apprtmches the center -k and lthe path of movemeut of the base thereof, but yetserves to retract and return the needles to their original position, after passing the apex oi" the center. 'lhlslalteruate advance and retreat of .the two wings, with respect to the ceuter cam L' or the base of the same, producing achange in the position of such cams, toeilable the center cam to seize. andactuate the needles in propel' routine, and after the needles have been thus moved, they remain free trom control of the cam-har until it returns,

except such as would'be exerted upon them bythe tension ot' the yarn which is looped uponthem.

As to the duplex cam t, operated by the shaft p and in connection with the spring 1v, other mechanical means for effecting a like result would readily occur to any good mechanic.

Iwould further call attention to the fact that -the rear faces b b of the wings l' m' should be of suiiicient length to overlap two or three needles, `or the nibs of such needles, in order to prevent their misplacement, which might occur were duced to a point at this locality.

Opera-tion of Machine.

'I hc operation of a machine organized as herein set forth is as follows, taking as a startingpoint the position ot' parts which will exist with the pitman parallel with the cam-bar; with` the forwarding-bai' retracted toits utmost extent, and entirely out of contact with the needles, owing to the longest axis of the cam t heilig at the time incontact with the stud u,- with the needles also retracted to their greatest extent, and their nibs out of the path of travel of the cams or ,inclines 15,1', or m', or the channel o created by them; and, finally, with the, cam-bar starting upon or having already effected a portion ol'. its

traveise, it being observed that both the cam-bar and` left of the observer.

The post u' at this time. impinges against the 'widest portion of the wedge-bar gf, while vice versa., the opposite post t', which was previously in contact with the widest but opposite port-ion of 'said bar, is now disposed within the depression e thereof. As a natural result of this relative-v position of parts, the cam'or inclined grade l", which is now, o1 to be during the next succeeding traverse ofc the cam-bar, inadthe crank are at or near their extreme position to the parts is such that at the time these wings remaar: 3

vance of the center cam Ic', has receded from such center cam, and stands. .to one side of or out of coincidence with the nibs ot' the needles, thus exposing the base of the said center cam in such manner as to compel it to assume such condition as vto strike' the first of the series of needles presented to it, it being understood, however, that the cam-bar and its adjuncts eect one traverse of the machine without actuating the needles, as the device which advances such needles into the path of movement of thc calncams have passed the needles.

The arrangement of the different members of the machine is such that, during the continuance of the moveinent of the crank, and immediately after the cam-grades have passed beyond withoutaetuat-ing the entire series of needles, the first approaching concavty of the cam t arrives at the stud or follower u, when thc .continued passage of the crank, its shalt p, and the cam t, permits the aforesaidstud or follower to enter the concavity of the cam, owing to the contraction advance of the rocker-frame and forwarding-bar or plate, such plate standing, as it did at iirst, in immediate proximity to the nibs of a portion Iot thc needies of the series, the advance of such har driving forward such nibs and their needles ,as may be in coincidence with it, and forcing them into a position to be seized by the cam L upon its return traverse.

The crank o, shaft p, and cam t continue their movements until they have performed a semi-revoila' tion, the end i of the wedge-bar y' by this movement of parts having abutted against the ear 1' before the completion of the semi-revolution of the crank, the cam-har continuing to move until, with the cra-nk, it arrives at the limit of its traverse, at which time the post t' has mounted and is impinging against the widest portion of the wedgebar,.while, cioe versa, the opposite post u', which was at our starting-point in contact with the widest portion of the wedgebar, is now, by the said ascent of the post t', through the agency of the palate f, forced into the depression e of the said har y'.

As a' natural result ot' this relative position of parts, the cam or inclined grade m' which is now, and will be during the next succeeding traverse ot' the cam-bar, in advance o f the center cam k', has receded from such center cam, audstands to one side of or out of I:oincidence with the nibs of the needles, thus exposing I.the base of the said center cam in such manner as to compel it to strike and force into the advanced side of the channel o such portions of the said nibs ofthe movement of the iorwardingban We have now completed a semile'volution ofthe crank 5 and cam t, and onel traverse of the cam-haa',4 as well as an advance or forward vibration of the rocker-frame and forwarding-bar, and `we will nowstart upon a return or repetition of such movements.

l' rst, then, and immediately preceding the start of the cainlbar upoipits return, the coucavity of the cam' t has lett the stud'or follower u and caused itto mount the greatest diameter of such cam, by this act returning the forwarding-bar to its original position, isolated from the needles, the retreat of such forwarding-bar, or rocker-flame supporting such ,bar having the eect, through the agency ofthe pawi in producing aonetooth movement of the ratchet, and, consequently, a

partial intermittent rotation of the patternbarrel b.

Should either one of the sloping steps of the pattern-barrel be at this timeI in contact with the stud d* of the forwarding-bar, th movable'portion of such bar .will be advanced beyond its fellow, and` by increasing the combined effect-ive edge of such forwarding-bar, push forward one or more additional needles to the action of the carn grades does not begin its functions until after suchy of the springw, and permits the latter to eiicct au needles as were advanced bythe previousforward ,the stud or actuator ai' is in contactwith 'the 'lowest step of the series; hence, by the revolutions of thev crank and the repeated alternationsfof the swinging or rocher-flame fr, thev sloping steps orvirregnlmites of the pattern-barrel are presented in succession to the stnddg until all have pnssed it, the extent of actuating-surface ot' the forwarding bar, and 'the' number oi' needles driven forward by it, being in `fdirect` \corre+ epondence with Ythe contour ofthe said pattern-bar?" rei; the spring al, liereinbefore mentioned, or its equivalent, havlngthe eiect of retreating the stndd to its starting-point against the lowest step of the sexie/s when'the'latter is reached, th woriiing edge ol" the'nwarding-ber:lieingjas a utter of course, returned to, its .originel position, which it at tiret as coined.

Hering thus explainedliow, dniogthe iirst traverse` of the 'cam-ber, the fomvz'trding-btr7 by the action ot'4 time `coiice..it,f` of the com ,has been advenced,and driven forward'thc needles, and subsequently, by the notion of the eanl,returned to its'orginal position, and e. onet0othed movement of the pattern-barrel effected, wiiiie the position of the cani-grades k l m remains in .tno position last stated, we shall see that,I by the continuation oi 'the movement of the crank 'and of the advance of the cam-bar7 the advance side ol' the eenter carn'lsreaches-and impinges against-the series of needles, and guides them, one'afteranother, along its f sloping side, unt-il' they reach the 'next succeeding in elined gro/de'- l, against the sloping 'face of which they snecessively impinge, and by whose advance they are gnided in van opposite direction, obliqnely to the travel of the vcam-bar, until they' are returned,- one by one, to' `their normal position, or thattirstoccupied by them, it "seing observed, asa distinguishing featnrefof this inventionfithattlie'needlesnotadvanced by the ,for- Werding-bar, :is before explainerhremain .in their original position, and motionless Jand inert'dnring theconipletioii oi the traverse et' the camfbar.

'Before the cani-barcompletcs its traverseor reaches 1 the position tiret assurde-d in this explanation, vthe end ha ot' the-duplex wedge-ber y abnts. against the ear if, 'when the completion of an entire vrevolution of the crank and the-return traverse of the cam-bar reverses the position oi" the posts' t and n', and also .the cams k', i, and m', and presents the next succeedinigconcavity to the stud or follower u, and ,permits the rock-1 er-frame fr and ibr\va'rding'bar s to :be adv-.sneed as 4 hereinbefore stated, and drive forward into position to be acted npon by the en'm k, during itsthird traverse, such needles as thesaid liirwardingbarhas impinged against,.\vhether snch-v needles are the saine in nnmber as during theJ last advance of such bar, or whether such number is increased by the expansion of such bar at theg'iands ofthe pattern-borrel.

:j Having now described the operation of the machine through a complete circuit or revolution, it is believed that the explanation given will afford a clear lunderstanding ollthe operai-ion of my invention, or atleast one sniicient to enable persons skilled inthe art to 'comprehend its construction, purposes, arid-functions,

.Claims 1. The ibrwardingdmr, composed 'oiinovable plates, substantially as described,v mounted in a inovscllile 4fra-me, and acting 4on'the needles to drive them Aforward in position to `bc actuated bythe needle-operat-- ing cams. y.

- 2. 'Ehe forwarding-bnr, composed of movable plates,

.substantially as described, mounted in ya. movable frame, incombination with putternexnechenisnr for varying the width oi' the opereting edge-of the. forl yarding-bar or derice, lbr'thopnrpose settoriali.

3. lhe'combiniition of the stationaryneedle-bed-aaudit-s needlestl|e rocker-frame r, the' pattern-,barrel b, and the forwarding-bar s, when constructed sub-- stantially as described, and combined and sustaining,`

the relations' to each other. and'to'thc rest of the mnchine :is herein'setforth.' x

4. The combination ofv the stationary needle-bed, the cam-bnr with its. described members, the forwarding-bar s, pattern-barrel, and rocker-tranne, constructed4 snbstnntiallyas dcscribmLaml sustaining th'erelations to each other and the rest ot' .the :.'iachine as herein setiorth.

5. The stationary cam 1.1' and sliding bri-ry', the

movable sidenvings l m', carriers p' q/,or their substitntes, posts "uf, and compound lever or tripperj 'for actuating the needles, the 'whole being `combined and 'operating lts herein explained.

.ions PEPPER.

Witnesses l E.- F. Honoris,

Fisso., Gomis. 

